Adjustable baby bunting



1953 o. KOVARY 2,624,043

ADJUSTABLE BABY BUNTING Filed Sept. 16, 1949 2 Sl-lEETS-Sl-IEET l INVENTOR. v Omvxo KovARY Jan. 6, 1953 o. KOVARY 2,624,043.

ADJUSTABLE BABY BUNTING Filed Sept. 16, 1949 2 SHEETS-61mm 2 INVENTOR. OLIVIO KovARY Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE BABY BUNTING Olivio Kovary, New York, N. Y.

Application September 16, 1949, Serial No. 116,115

4 Claims. (Cl. 269.5)

This invention relates, in one aspect thereof, to new and useful improvements in slide-fastener structures, and, in another aspect thereof, to new and useful improvements in apparel garments.

According to the present invention, a novel and valuable slide fastener structure is provided wherein a plurality of independently manually positionable slide-actuators are included, whereby according as said slide-actuators are selectively relatively 'manipulated an opening along the length of the teeth-carrying tapes of the fastener may not Only be located at one of a multiplicity of different points along said length but also be given any one of a multiplicity of different opening-sizes while located at any one of said points.

Also, according to the present invention, a novel and valuable apparel garment is provided which, because it has combined therewith a pair of the new slide-fastener structures, may have unique utilities, these utilities particularly striking because in part resulting from features of the new garment; such garment being an infants outer garment at once of the cloak type, that is, for protectively housing in severe weather the infants body from face to toes, and also of the'bag type, because snugly closable all along both sides and across the bottoms as well as across the top' at both sides of the neck opening, and in such manner as at the neck to provide a ruff collar, yet with the new garment incorporating, in the main, merely a front panel member and a back panel member, both of elongate rectangular kind.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 shows a now favored embodiment of the said new infants garment, the latter being observed front-elevationally and spread substantiallyfiat-said garment being illustrated as of a type incorporating two of the new slide-fastener structures, with both the latter shown only par.- tially closed; in this view certain desirably present fur additions being merely outlined in dot and dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a frontal perspective view of said garment, showing its frontpanel member as though lifted up at its lower left hand portion away from theback panel member, and further showing the two slide-actuators seen at the opposite sides of Fig. 1 and near the bottom of the garment, now

down in extreme lowermost positions while still engaged with the teeth of both tapes of each of their slide-fastener structures.

Fig. 3 rear elevationally illustrates said garment, spread as in Fig. 1, with the slide-fastener structures in the same adjustments as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view showing merely the front panel member, but looking at the inner side thereof, that is, at the side thereof opposite to the side seen in Fig. l and mainly visible in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 shows merely the rear panel member, and looking at the inner side thereof; this view most clearly showing, in duplicate, the now favored embodiment of the new slide-fastener structure.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view, I

taken on the line 8-4) of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 elevationally shows a portion of the inner side of the rear panel member, with an auxiliary envelope device detachably connected thereto.

Fig. 8 is an exploded fragmentary view, showing a small subdivision of said rear panel portion, one of the post-type snap fastener elements forming part of the means for detachably connecting said envelope device and carried by said panel at the inner side thereof (note again Fig. 5), said envelope device, and one of the special socket-type snap fastener elements each for coaction with one of said post-type fastener elements. I

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, and first as to the new slide-fastener structure, in that connection particular reference should be had to Figs. 4 and 5, where as aforesaid two of such structures are illustrated as applied to the two panel members of the garment, i. e., a front panel member l5 and a rear panel member [6. From the just-named views, when taken together with the other showings of the drawings, it will be noted that each of said panels, when spread, has substantially the outline of an elongate rectangle, and that, with each of the new slide-fastener structures including, as usual, a pair of tapes each carrying a line of slide-fastener teeth,- one such tape of each fastener, these respectively marked I! and I8, are secured to the front panel l5, and the complementary tape of each fastener, these respectively marked I9 and 20, are secured to the rear panel it.

Thus, when the garment is established by connecting up the two panels I5 and 16, the teeth along the tapes I1 and I9 are for mating, and the teeth along the tapes I8 and 20 are for mating.

With each slide-fastener structure also preferably including the customary terminal fitments at each end of a kind such that a slide-actuator present may be moved to break its sleeve-engagement relative to the lines of teeth on both the tapes of that fastener, a radical difference between the new slide-fastener structure and such structures as previously proposed is that, whereas the latter having their teeth-carrying tapes permanently connected at their ends opposite to the ends thereof which carry said fitments, the new slide-fastener structure has its pair of tapes disconnectible also at their ends corresponding to the said previously permanently connected tape ends. Otherwise stated, the new slide-fastener structure, the last-named ends of the teeth-carrying tapes thereof individually carry duplicates of said fitments; and, furthermore, the new slidefastener provides, in combination with the lastnamed fitments, a second slide-fastener actuator.

In full clarification of the distinction sought to be explained in the paragraph immediately above, an examination of the drawings, and especially Figs. 4 and 5, is now in order. With the hereinabove first-named fitments assumed to be those shown at the tops of said Figs. 4 and 5, and there respectively designated, as to one slidefastener structure, 2| and 22, and, as to the other slide-fastener structure, 23 and 2 1, the aforesaid duplications of these fitments pursuant to the concept of the present invention may be considered to be those shown at the bottoms of Figs. 4 and 5, and there respectively designated, as to one slide-fastener structure, 25 and 26, and, as to the other slide-fastener structure, 2'? and 28.

Still referring to the two views last-named, and with the usual slide-actuator for the fastener incorporating the tapes !8 and 29 assumed to be that shown at the left side of Fig. at 29, the additional slide-actuator for the same fastener may be considered to be that shown in Fig. 5 at 30; and, similarly, with the usual slide-actuator for the fastener incorporating the tapes ll and I9 assumed to be that shown at the right side of Fig. 5 at 3|, the additional slide-actuator for the same fastener may be considered to be that shown in Fig. 5 at 32.

Thus, for one thing, and according to principles well-known in the art of slide fasteners, the two tapes of both the two new slide fasteners may be fully disconnected at their upper ends in Figs. 4 and 5 by detaching the slide-actuators 29 and 35 from the two terminal fitments 2i and 23, but always to retain said actuators on, respectively, the tapes 2% and i9 as shown in Fig. 5; but, for another thing, and pursuant to the present invention said two tapes of both fasteners may be fully disconnected at their lower ends in Figs. 4 and 5 by freeing the slide-actuators 38 and 32 from the two terminal fitments 26 and 23, and here also nevertheless to retain the two lastnamed actuators each on one of the tapes of its fastener-this retention in the present case being illustrated as such that said actuators 35 and 32 are retained on, respectively, the said tapes 28 and I9. Consequently, the panel members I5 and I6, having first been coupled by the two new slidefastener structures, may be wholly detached one from another; and likewise, with these two panels at any time wholly detached one from another, they may be coupled by the two slide-fastener structures.

Before considering further utilities of the new slide-fastener structure, the features of the new apparel garment will be described.

Referring to the front panel member !5, the same, as shown particularly in Figs. 1-4 and 6, is illustrated as of plural-ply construction, with the top or outer ply thereof, this desirably of a textile fabric of suitable weight for winter weather, consisting of a main upper section 33 and a lower minor section 34, said sections seamed together as at 34 The bottom or inner ply of said panel member i5 is shown as including a main upper sheet 35 of fur, and a lower minor section 36 of woolen flannel or the like. Said panel member l5 also preferably includes a strip 3'! of fur given aninverted U extension, for decorative and extreme warmth purposes, as indicated.

Also, as said front panel section I5 is herein shown, its outer side has suitably secured thereto a pair of diagonally extending and downwardly converging fur pieces 33, 38. These pieces 38 attend slot-like openings 39 in the said panel section as shown clearly in Fig. 6 through which may be passed the infants wrists; each of said openings being also attended by a flap 43 (Figs. 4 and 6). The elements shown cross-hatched at All in Fig. 6 are the hide portions of the fur parts.

Referring next to the back panel member IS, the same, as shown particularly in Figs. 1-3 and 5, may be made of one or a plurality of plies, with each of these, desirably, of a textile material of suitable weight for winter weather; said panel being suitably edge finished all around, as by the aid of an endless line of stitching 42.

For a reason which will become clear in a moment, said back panel member l6, while subtsantially of the same width as the front panel member i5, is somewhat longer than the latter. Across the substantially straight top of said back panel member a longitudinally centrally folded strip 43 of fur is shown as present, to give a fur edging to said top at both sides of the panel.

Now, from a comparison of Figs. 4 and 5, it will be noted that while the aforesaid upper terminal fitments 2i and 23 of the slide-fastener tapes I? and 18 on the front panel member [5 are at the top and at points intermediate the width limits of the panel member l5 and spaced apart only a distance sufilcient to provide part of an opening for the infants neck, the aforesaid upper terminal fitments 22 and 24 of the slide-fastener tapes I9 and 26 on the back panel member l6 are given a much greater spacing, that is, these lastnamed fitments are only at about the tops of the opposite sides of said panel member l6.

Thus, when the two slide-fastener structures are fully closed all along their lengths, the new apparel garment is a bag closed over the entirety of its bottom and all along its two sides, and a bag, moreover, which is also closed at both sides on over-the-shoulder portions thereof, that is. up to the neck opening aforesaid; and, at the same time, the upper portion of the back panel member i6, incidental to its functioning now to complete said opening, becomes formed to provide a ruff collar as shown best in Figs. 2 and 3 when taken with Fig. l.- Now the reason will be seen, as somewhat above stated, why the back panel member i6, desirably, is made somewhat longer than the front panel member Hi.

The closing of the two slide-fastener structures is effected by coupling the two slide-actuators 29 and 30 with the aforesaid terminal fitments on the upper ends of the teeth-carrying tapes l1 and I8 of the front panel member l5, then coupling the two slide-actuators 30 and 32 with the afore-' said terminal fitments on the lower ends of saidtapes I! and I8, and next, at one side of the garment, first running the actuator 29 down over any selected part of its maximum run and then running the actuator 30 up over such a part of its run as to cause it to meet the actuator 29,.

and, at the other side. of the garment, first running the actuator 3| down over any selected part of its maximumrun and then running the actuator 32 up over such a part of its run as to cause it to meet the actuator 3|. Of course, the order of this running of. the actuators 29 and 30, and/or of the actuators 3| and 32, may be reversed; also, both actuators at a side of the garment need not be preliminarily engaged with the teeth-carrying tapes of the panel member before the one of them at that side of the garment so. engaged has been run over a part of its run.

Inorder to open up the upper part of the garment, for placing an infant therein, with the actuators 30 and 32 located as in Fig. 1 the actuators 29 and 3| could be run down as shown in Fig; 1.. Then, after the infants wrists have been passed through the openings 39, the actuators 29 and 3| may be run up all the way as shown in Fig. 2.

By variously placing said four actuators, openings at the opposite sides of the new garment may be. established wherever desired and of any desired width or widths.

Similarly, the lower portion of the new garment may be completely opened up, across the entirety of the bottom thereof and up along the opposite sides thereof using the actuators 30 and 32, to any desired extent heightwise of the garment, as for changing a diaper on the infant.

The completely separable nature of the slide fasteners permits the front panel I5 to be attached to the back panel IS with its fur side directed either inward or outward depending upon the wishes of the user. For example, if. the weather is not so cold, the front panel l5 can be secured to the back panel I6 with its fur side outward adding to the decorative appearance of the assembled article. On the other hand, if the weather is cold then the front panel I5 can be secured to the back panel l6 with its fur side directed inward adding materially to the warmth on the inside of the assembled article. It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the slide fasteners are completely engageable with either side of the front panel |5 extended outward.

Referring next particularly to Figs. 5 and 1-9, means are here shown whereby the lower portion of the interior of the new garment may carry an auxiliary structure 45, this the aforesaid envelope device. This device 45 is variable as to its place or places of securement to the garment. As said device is shown, it is merely a substantially square sheet of suitable material, as a textile one, desirably suitably waterproofed (in which case said sheet could well be a plastic or rubberfilm one), and folded as indicated at 46. When the device 45 is placed in the garment, said fold will be lowermost. A further advantage of the device 45 is that the location of the fold 46, relative to the length of the garment, may be a high one when the infant is very young, and lowered from time to time as the infant grows longer.

Means for detachably securing said device 45 or an equivalent at any desired position relative to the length of the garment, is also a feature of the invention; and as herein shown the same includes a pair of oppositely disposed post-type snap-fastener elements 41, attached to the back panel IE to project forwardly from the inner side thereof, as shown in Fig. 5.

Also included in the last-named means are the following provisions:

The" device 45, at both its folded sections near opposite sides thereof and also near the tops thereof, is provided with separate sets of four holes 48 alignable in pairs with one member of each pair on each of said sections. The holes 48 are so placed that there may be passed through any aligned pair thereof one of the fastener elements 41.

Also included in said means last-named are a pair of snap-fastener socket elements such as the one shown at 59 in Figs. 8 and 9. Each of said elements is a normally unattached bodily manipula-ble single unit, so that, with a pair thereof readily at hand, each can be snapped onto the enlarged head of the post of the two elements 41 just previously sent through the desired four holes 48. To avoid having the heads of the elements 50, when applied as just described, be of any possible discomfort to the infant, said heads may be covered by a piece of plushed fabric 5| or the like secured in place as by a suitable adhesive.

As will be understood, any equivalent arrangements could be provided in regard to the detachable securing means for the envelope device 45; for example, by substituting, for the elements 41, buttons placed on the inner side of the back panel member H5 and thereto stitched at the desired levels and spacings at said levels.

It is to be understood that the front and back of the bunting may be provided with decorative borders or with any other desired decoration made of any suitable material.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An infants apparel garment comprising a front panel member, a back panel member, slidefastener structures securing said panel members together along their sides and one end, an envelope device folded laterally on its self and positioned between said panel members with the fold facing the said one end of said panel members, and means partially carried by one of said panel members and partially carried by said device for permitting said device to be detachably secured to the inside face of the said one panel member in any one of several possible positions each to locate the fold of said device at a predetermined point along the height of the garment, said detachable securing means comprising laterally spaced fastener elements mounted on the inner face of the said one panel member, with aligned laterally spaced sets of holes formed in said envelope device adjacent the ends thereof for selective engagement with said fastener elements.

2. An infants apparel garment comprising a front panel member, a back panel member, slidefastener structures securing said panel members together along their sides and one end, an envelope device folded laterally on its self and positioned between said panel members with the fold facing the said one end of said panel members, and means partially carried by one of said panel members and partially carried by said device for permitting said device to be detachably secured to the inside face of the said one panel square sheet of suitable sheet material folded.

once on itself.

3. An infants apparel garment comprising a front panel member, a back panel member, slidefastener structures securing said panel members together along their sides and one end, an envelope device folded laterally on its self and positioned between said panel members with the fold facing the said one end of said panel members, and means partially carried by one of said panel members and partially carried by said device for permitting said device to be detachably secured to the inside face of the said one panel member in any one of several possible positions each to locate the fold of said device at a predetermined point along the height of the garment, said detachable securing means, comprising laterally spaced post-type fasteners mounted on the inner face of the said one panel member, aligned laterally spaced sets of holes formed in said envelope device adjacent the ends thereof for selective engagement with said post type fasteners, and socket type fasteners for engagement with said post type fasteners after having passed through desired aligned holes of said envelope device.

4. An infants apparel garment comprising a front panel member, a back panel member, slidefastener structures securing said panel members together along their sides and one end, an envelope device. folded laterally on its self and positioned between said panel members with thefold facing the said one end of said panel mem-- bers, and means partially carried by one of said panel members and partially carried by said device for permitting said device to be detachably secured to the inside. face. of the said one panel member in. any one of several possible positions each to locate the fold of said device at a predetermined point along the height of the garment, said envelopedevice being asubstantially'square sheet of suitable sheet material folded once on itself and including aligned lat-' erally spaced sets of holes formed adjacent the ends thereof, said securingmeans. for said device comprising aligned laterally spaced fastener elements carried at the inner side of at least one of said panel members for engaging selectively in said holes.

OLIVIO KOVARY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

